Cable-railway mechanism



(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. HARTMAN Jr. CABLE RAILWAY MEUHANISM.

No. 421,494; Patented Feb. 18, 1890;

WITNESSES: l/VVE/VTOI? u. PETERS. mwunm m waihingwn, n. a

' (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

'J. HARTMAN. Jr. CABLE RAILWAY MECHANISM.

No. 421,494, Patented Feb 18; 1890.

ATTORNEY N. PEIERS. mmmm m, wmin m n. a

(No Model.) 3 Sheets.- Shee t 3;

J. HARTMAN, Jr. CABLE RAILWAY MECHANISM.

No. 421,494. I Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

WITNESSES: W INVENTOR (/1 a. 1m. M;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARTMAN, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CABLE-RAILWAY 'M ECHANISM.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,494, dated February 18, 1890.

Application filed December 2'7, 1886. Serial No. 222,720. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HARTMAN, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable-Railway Grips; and I do hereby declare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof as to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

This invention relates to the cable railways for the transportation of passengers, and has for its object the easier engagement and disengagement of the gripping mechanism upon the cable, the avoidance of shock in engaging and starting the car in motion, and the safe automatic disengagement of the grips at the points of intersection of such railways.

The nature of this invention may be briefly stated to consist of an improved gripping mechanism for engaging the cable, provided with a guiding mechanism to insure its safe passage through the conduit and the certain re-engagement of the cable, an automatic disengaging device and guiding mechansm for intersections of cable roads, and an improved mode of attaching the gripping mechanism to the car to avoid the shock incident to suddenly gripping the cable, also a device for clearing the slot from obstructions.

I will now proceed to particularly describe the mode of making and operating this invention, referring in so doing to the drawings annexed, and the letters of reference marked thereon, in which Figure l is a vertical lengthwise section of a car-truck and the portion of a cable railway at the intersection of a road containing this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 4. is an enlarged vertical section of the gripping mechanism. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the mode of attachment of the grip to the car and the mechanism foroperating the grip by hand; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are respectively a front elevation, a side elevation, and a vertical transverse section of a modified form of the gripping mechanism. Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged views of the gripping-jaws and wrist-plate, showing them in different positions, with a cam formed on the hub of the said plate.

The same letters of reference apply to the same parts in the several figures.

0 represents the chamber or space of the cable-conduit, having a slot 0 for the passage of the grip therein, and D D represent the tracks or rails for supporting the cars.

J is the cable located in the conduit C to one side of the center and supported on grooved wheels K, turning upon spindles K.

The gripping mechanism is attached to the car WV, preferably to the axles or axle-boxes, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, without the intervention of the usual car-springs, so that the relative level of the rails and grip shall remain constantly the same, irrespective of the load on the car.

The gripping mechahism consists of two jaws G and G As shown in Fig. 4, these jaws are pivoted at GPto a frame G attached to a fiat shaft or plate G, extending upwardly and fitting loosely through the cleft G of the conduit 0. The jaw G is pivotally con nected at G by a link G attached pivotally to and operated by a wrist-plate G by the turning motion of which it is reciproeated to and from the cable J. The jaw G as shown in Figs. 4, 9, and 10, rests against a cam G formed on thehub of the Wrist-plate G and is moved to and from the cable J by the turning of the cam G in an opposite direction to the motion of the jaw G As shown in Fig. 8, the jaw G instead of being moved by a cam, is moved by a link G connecting it pivotally to the wristplate G and instead of being suspended upon the pivot G is attached by a pivot G to jaw G To the wrist-plate is secured a chain G attached thereto, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, connecting it to a vertically-moving slide G Upon the upper portion of the slideGr is formed a shouldered projection or Ii-head G, which fits in a correspondiugly shaped recess formed in a toothed rack G The rack G is moved vertically bya pinion G having a feather or key G secured in the eye thereof, which fits so as to slide freely in a corresponding channel or key-seat G in the shaft G so that the pinion G shall always turn with the shaft G although free to slide lengthwise thereon. The plate G is formed. of two parts, between which the slide G is guided and moves freely in a vertical direction. The parts of the plate G are united below by the frame G and above by the bearing G secured thereto by shoulders fitting in corresponding notches and held therein by a latch G The bearing G is fitted so as to be supported by the shaft G and permit it to slide thereon. The shaft G is supported in bearings G having the spiral springs G placed between them and the bearings Gr around the shaft G The bearings G are preferably made in one piece of metal with a frame G which is supported by framing attachedto the axleboxes W. This frame may be attached by boxes fitted upon journals W made specially therefor in the axles NV. The shaft G is provided with universal-joint couplings G (see Fig. l) and extends through bearings G to a convenient location for turning by means of toothed bevel-wheels G connected to a Windlass or lever G having secured thereto a ratchet-wheel G, with which a pawl G for holding it in position engages. Upon the frame G are rollers for guiding the cable in the gripping mechanism, so that it shall always be in proper position laterally to be engaged by the jaws G and G These rollers may-be either of grooved form or of cylindrical form, as desired. In the several figures of the drawings I have shown them as of both forms. They may be of tapering form, if desired, as shown, for the purpose herein stated. Attached to the wristplate G so as to turn or swing with it upon its fulcrum is a spindle G having its axis in a plane at right angles to the line of the cable J and to the axis of the wrist-plate G This spindle G is covered with rollers G and serves to raise the cable J into position to be gripped by the jaws G and G The lower end of the frame G supporting the gripping-jaws, is guided by rollers G which roll against the sides of the conduit 0 and prevent friction between the sides of the frame G and the sides of the conduit 0, and are useful in supporting the grip laterally in passing curves. The rollers G are tapered downwardly and act as a guide to the cable to prevent contact with the sides of the conduit and in directing the cable toward the space between the jaws G and G A tapering inclined blade R is pivotally attached to the front of the grip-plate G and serves to remove by lifting them any obstructions from the slot or cleft O in advance of the plate G, and by reason of the pivoted connection adapts itself readily to curves in the road.

In the conduit C, near to the intersection of another conduit, are placed inclined guides, which raise the rollers G so as to clear the crossing cable J and the guiding-incline in the conduit. A roller K located near the intersection in one conduit, and under-which the cable J of such conduit passes, serves to depress the cable, so as to clear the gripsmoving on the crossing cable. The grip attached to the lower cable, which cable passes under the upper cable, is automatically disengaged,

at the approach to the intersection of the crossing, by a lever O striking a projectionP in the road of the said lever, disengaging the jaws Q and the clutch Q on the shaft G.

In approaching a crossing of another cable the grip of cable must be released as the cable is depressed under the crossing cable. In

order to make certain of the releasing of. the

cable and allowing the cable to pass freely by the rollers at the bottom of the conduit which supports the cable ahead of and behind the car. The arm or spindle G hanging down as it nears the crossing, is brought in contact with the guard N, which s prolonged to and above the cross-cable, said arm G being raised by the guard and carried over the cross-cable, when it falls down aga n in position to pass the eable-supportmg rollers. The spring 0 re-engages the clutch as soon as the lever O clears the stop P. j 7

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a cable-railway grip, the combination of the jaws G and G with the wrist-plate G rollers G and mechanism for operating said wrist-plate, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cable-railway grip, the combination of the pinion G arranged to slide upon the shaft G springs G and bearings G*,'arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

3. In a cable-gripping mechanism, the combination of the inclined guide N, rollers G wrist-plate G jaws G2 and G with the cable J, roller K clutch Q, lever O, and projection P, arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a cablerailway gripping mechanism, the combination of the shaft G pinion G and bearings G supported inelastically from the axle-bearings and operated by a shaft provided with a universal joint, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The tapered rollers G combined with the gripping=jaws G and G and cable J, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a cable-railway grip, the combination of the inclined blade R, pivotally connected to the plateG, and said plate G, as and for the purpose set forth. I 4

7 In a cable-railway grip, the combination of the gripping jaws, one jaw having a connecting-link pivoted thereto, with a wristprojection adapted to fit into a oorrespondingly-shaped recess formed in the said rack, IO substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

9. 111 a cable-railway gripping mechanism, the combination of the plate G, frame 5, bearing; G and the bearings G with the latch G substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

J N O. I-IARTMAN, JR.

Vitnesses:

J. DANIEL EBY, ALEX RAMSEY. 

